Santa Ana’s historic National Guard unit, Company L, and their service at the Mexican border and during WWI will be the subject of Richard Hartman’s presentation at the Dec. 8, 2022 meeting of the Orange County Historical Society, 7:30p.m., at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St., in the City of Orange. The public is welcome.Company L of California’s 7th Infantry was called to active duty in June of 1916, along with the entire National Guard in the United States, to assist the Regular Army, guarding the US southern border. It was a time of many changes to the National Guard, when it developed into the force we know today. Nelson Holderman began 1916 as a Sergeant in Company L and by the end of the year he commanded the Company as a Captain. He would go on to receive the Medal of Honor in World War 1, while a part of the action known as “The Lost Battalion.” Several other young men from the Santa Ana company would lose their lives in that same action. We also have an eye-witness account of the aftermath of the battle from a man from Santa Ana as a member of the first Company to relieve those surrounded men.Our guest speaker, Richard Hartman, served in the California Air Guard as a Chief Master Sergeant and the Maintenance Superintendent of the 222nd Combat Communications Squadron in Costa Mesa. Richard spent seven years on active duty in the Air Force in Montana and Wyoming as a Systems Analyst on Minuteman 2 and Minuteman 3 missile systems. In his civilian life, he was a control systems engineer, building flight simulator systems and motion rides. After retiring from his civilian job, he entered the Master’s History program at Cal State Fullerton. Richard also volunteers at the Orange Family History Library, helping patrons navigate their research.
Please join us on December 8th!